Pool and billiard table.



G. S. VAN DE WATER.

POOL AND BILLIARD TABLE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 16, 1912-.

1 ,O49, 948. Patented Jan. 7, 1913.

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G. S. VAN DE WATER.

POOL AND BILLIARD TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16, 1912.

1,049,948. I Patented Jan. 7, 1913.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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GEORGE SLOSSON VAN DE WATER, OF ROCKVILLE CENTER, NEW YORK.

POOL AND BILLIARD TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 7, 1913.

Application filed "May 16, 1912. Serial No. 697,598.

To (4Z4 whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE S. VAN on TATER, citizen of the United States, and a resident of Rockville Center, in the county of Nassau and State of New York, have invented a new Pool and Billiard Table, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates generally to pool and billiard tables, and more particularly is directed to an improved cushion construction adapted to occupy different positions whereby the same table is convertible into a pool or billiard table.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a new and improved cushion for use with pool or billiard tables, the said cushion being reniovably held in position, the improvement residing in the shape of the cushion whereby it may occupy different positions to close the pockets or leave them open, thereby providing either a pool or billiard table.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description thereof proceeds, all of which are particularly pointed out and included in the ap pended claims.

Figure 1 is a top plan view with the cushions in position to form a pool table; Fig. 2 is a partial vertical sectional View, showing the construction of the cushion and the manner of holding it secured in place; Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the holding means; Fig. l is an enlarged detail of one corner showing adjacent cushions in position to close the pocket whereby a billiard table is formed; Fig 5 is a vertical sectional view of a modified construction in operative position; Fig. 6 is a similar view of the same construction in different relative position.

Any suitable table provided with the usual top 1 of any suitable material, and the usual cover 2, is suitably supported in position for use in any desirable manner; the size of the table and the material of which the different parts are made are not essential in setting forth the inventive idea disclosed.

Extending adjacent the peripheral portions of the top 1 are the longitudinally extending sides 3 and the transversely extending ends 4; each side and each end is preferably made up of a top piece 5 and a vertically extending supporting element 6,

the cushion 7 being maintained in position on the top 1 by means of the piece 5 and the fastening devices shownparticularly in Figs. 2 and 3. These fastening devicespreferably comprise a plate 8 secured in any suitable manner, as by means of screws 9, to the bottom of the vertically extending portion 6; one side of the plate is provided with an offset 10 having an opening extending therethrough, the opening being threaded and receiving a wing screw 11 the end of which is provided with a bearing plate 12 engaging the under side of the table top adjacent the periphery.

Referring particularly to Fig. 2 it will be noted that tightening the wing nut 11, or any number of them as may be desirable, the cushion 7 as an entirety will be securely held in the position shown; the particular form of the cushion is such (as will be presently set forth) that a saving of space is obtained by providing the inside of the vertically extending portion 6 adjacent the top with a longitudinally extending pocket 13 adapted to receive either edge portion of the cushion, as the case may be. Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 4 it will be noted that the ends of the sides 3 and the ends 4 are removed at suitable angles in order to provide entrance to the pockets 1 1 when the outfit is used as a pool table; it is also to be noted that the intermediate portion of each of the sides 3 is cut away in a manner substantially circular to provide entrance to the side pockets 15 common in such tables. From what has been said it will be noted that while the table top 1 is relatively stationary the sides 3 and the ends 1 are adjustably carried thereon by means of the fastening devices shown in Figs. 2 and 3, loosening of such devices permitting the sides and ends to be removed in order to permit the cushions 7 to be withdrawn, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 1.

Each cushion preferably comprises a rigid body portion the length and width of which will depend upon the size of the table, each side of the body portion being provided with a longitudinally extending resilient element 16, 16 held in position in any suitable manner, the body portion and the resilient element being covered by suitable material such as cloth. In Fig. 1 the cushions are represented in full lines in such position that the table is adapted for pool; the broken lines of Fig. 1 indicate the position of the cushions when the table is adapted for billiards; in Fig. l the reverse arrangement is shown. Each end of each of the cushions is formed as indicated by the lines a-b-c-de in Fig. st, the adjacent cushions being arranged with the portions indicated by Z) in contact with each other when it is desired to close the pocket 14: for billiards; when the cushions are reversed the relation 01 the adjacent ends of the cushions is as set forth in Fig. 1 in connection with one of the corner pockets represented, the same letters of reference being used as in Fig. 4t. In order to facilitate separation of the cushions, the end of one of the end cushions is rounded, as shown at b in Fig. 1.

In the case of the side pockets 15 it will be noted that the intermediate portion of each of the side cushions 7 is removed as at throughout an area substantially equal to the opening leading to the pocket 15, the side cushions adjacent the removed portion 7 being indicated at g, when the table is adapted for pool the removed portion of the cushion registers with the removed por tion of the side 3 whereby access to the pocket is had, the other posit-ion of the cushion, in order to adapt the table for billiards, bringing the part 9 in front of the opening leading to the pocket 15 whereby the balls are prevented from entering that pocket. It is of course to be noted that in the oi the ends 4 of the table the resilient portions 16 are coextensive with the ends, while in the case of the side cushions one resilient element- 16 at one side of the cushion is coextensive with the length, the resilient element at the other side being removed at an intermediate portion as set forth.

The method of using the cushions in order to provide a pool or billiard table will be apparent from the description of the con struction; it may be said, however, that the change easily and quickly made by loosening the fastening devices which hold the sides and ends of the table, the cushions be ing then easily withdrawn and reversed, after which these fastening devices may be tightened. The inventive idea, then, comprises a table having a number of cushions, adjacent ends of adjacent cushions being so shaped that access to a pocket is bad in one position, vhile at another position the top of the table is provided with a rectangular continuous resilient cushion.

The particular form of cushion just described may be objectionable in some cases, due to the fact that the top 5 of each of the sides is at a greater elevation than the resilient portion 16 of the cushion; in order to overcome such possible object-ion and to provide a structure approximating as closely as possible to pool and billiard table construe tions as now used, I may employ the construction shown especially in Figs. 5 and 6.

Referring particularly to these figures, the top 1, along its four sides, is beveled or inclined as at 1 the top 5 of each of the sides being substantially similar to that already described, while the vertically extending portion 6 is substantially similar to the first form, it being noted, however, that in this second form of construction, the recess 13 is suitably spaced from the inner edge portion of the cushion when the parts are in assembled relation. In this instance the body portion 7 of the cushion is provided with longitudinally extending recesses at opposite sides as previously described, the conformation of the sides of the body member, however, being slightly diiterent so that the cushion may assume the position shown in Fig. 5. The top of the body portion 7 is provided with recesses 100, either of which is adapted to be received by the forwardly projecting portion of the top piece 5 when the parts are brought together. Such construction, by reason of the recesses 100 and by reason of the inclined or tapering portions 1 of the bottom, enables the tops of the cushions to be maintained in substantially the same horizontal plane as the upper side of the top portion The method of changing the cushions in this term of construction is substantially similar to that previously described, the construction of the ends of the cushions being not substantially ditlerent from the first form described. Loosening the wing screw 11 will permit the sidefi and top 5 to be raised into the position shown in Fig. 6, whereby the cushion 7 may be moved out of engage ment with the tapering portions 1 of the bottom of the table and reversed, being again brought into the position shown in Fig. 5.

Either form of construction is well adapted to serve the purposes of the invention as outlined in the beginning of the specification, it being clear that while the particular arrangement of the parts in each case is different from the other that the inventive idea is common to both.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A pool and billiard table having a plurality of removable cushions thereon, means for holding the cushions in position, each cushion being provided with resilient elements extending along the opposite edge portions thereof, the element adjacent one edge portion being coextensive with the cushion and the element adjacent the other edge portion being not coextensive therewith.

2. A combined pool and billiard table comprising removable cushions, means for holding the cushions in position, the opposite edge portions of each cushion being provided wit-h resilient parts, the lengths of the said resilient parts being unequal.

3. In a combined pool and billiard table, a plurality of cushions, means for holding them in position, each cushion being provided along opposite edge portions with resilient elements, the said resilient edge portions being of unequal length, the length of the longer portion of one of the side cushions being such that it is adapted to cooperate with the longer of the edge portions of an adjacent end cushion in order to close entrance to a pocket.

4. In a pool and billiard table, a plurality of cushions removably secured in position, each cushion being provided along opposite sides with resilient edge portions, the lengths of the said edge portions being unequal, the cushions when in certain positions permitting access to the pockets of the table, the length of one edge portion of the cushions being such that adjacent cushions at the corners of the table are adapted for close engagement wit-h each other in order to close entrance to the pockets.

5. A combined pool and billiard table comprising a table top, movably mounted sides and ends thereon, and a plurality of removable cushions provided with resilient portions along opposite edges, the said cushions being secured between the table top and the said sides.

6. A pool and billiard table comprising a top, sides and ends removably carried thereby, and cushions having resilient portions along opposite edges removably engaged between the sides and ends and the said top, the cushions having longitudinally extending recesses into which portions of the said sides and ends are adapted to engage, the tops of the cushions and the tops of the said sides and ends lying flush with each other.

7. A pool and billiard table comprising a table top, sides and ends removably carried thereby, and cushions having resilient portions along opposite edges, the tops of the cushions being provided with recesses into which portions of the said sides and ends are adapted to engage.

8. A pool and billiard table comprising a table top, sides and ends removably carried thereby, cushions positioned between the table top and the sides and ends, the tops of the cushions being provided with recesses into which portions of the said sides and ends are adapted to engage, whereby the tops of the sides and ends will lie flush with the tops of the cushions adjacent the said sides and ends.

9. A pool and billiard table comprising a table top, sides and ends removably carried thereby, cushions having resilient portions extending along opposite edges, the cushions being positioned between the table top and the said sides and ends, the tops of the cushions being provided with longitudinally extending recesses, the said sides and ends entering one of the recesses when one resilient edge portion of the cushion is exposed, and entering the other recess when the other resilient edge portion of the cushion is exposed, the tops of the sides and ends lying flush with the tops of the cushions adjacent the said sides and ends.

10. A pool and billiard table comprising a table top, the said top adjacent the edge portions thereof being beveled, sides and ends removably carried thereby, cushions having resilient portions along opposite edges, the

said cushions lying adjacent the said beveled I portions and beneath the said sides and ends, the said cushions being provided with longitudinally extending recesses into which the sides and ends are adapted to enter when the parts are assembled, the tops of the said sides and ends lying flush with the tops of the cushions adjacent the said sides and ends.

11. In a combined pool and billiard table, a plurality of cushions having resilient portions along opposite edges, the ends of the cushions being inclined so that when in one position access to the pockets of the table is permitted, reversal of the cushions bringing the ends into engagement with each other and closing entrance to the pockets.

12. In a combined pool and billiard table, the combination of a side cushion and an end cushion, each provided with resilient portions along opposite edges, the ends of the cushions coming adjacent the pocket being inclined and in one position being spaced in order to permit entrance to the pocket,- reversal of the cushions bringing the said ends into engagement with each other and closing entrance to the pocket.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE SLOSSON VAN DE WATER.

Witnesses:

CHARLES W. SANDEORD, Jr., HARRY W. REEVES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

